Kenya land standoff sends warning to foreign-owned tea estates

A land dispute between a British-owned tea company and a Kenyan farming community has reignited tensions over colonial-era injustices, raising concerns about the future stability of the country’s tea industry.

A land dispute between a British-owned tea plantation and a local community in western Kenya has escalated, reflecting broader tensions over unresolved colonial-era injustices that may signal challenges ahead for the country’s tea industry.

In Nandi County, over 100 members of the Kimasas farmers’ cooperative have occupied 350 acres of the Sitoi estate, claiming the land was gifted to them in 1986 by Eastern Produce Kenya (EPK). The company, majority-owned by London-listed Camellia Plc, disputes this, saying only 202 acres were granted—not the 550 acres claimed by the community.

Daniel Biwott, chairman of the cooperative, argues that the land belonged to his ancestors before it was seized by British colonists in the early 1900s. “This is the time to resolve it,” he said, as he stood among the tea bushes where generations of his family once worked for EPK.

The conflict comes amid growing unrest in Kenya's tea sector, which contributes nearly a quarter of national export revenue and supports around five million people. Earlier this year, a separate estate owned by Sri Lankan firm Browns Plantations was attacked, prompting the Kenya Tea Growers Association to accuse politically backed groups of orchestrating illegal land invasions reminiscent of Zimbabwe’s land seizures in the 2000s. EPK claims the unrest is costing it over $200,000 a month.

The underlying issue stems from the colonial era (1895–1963), when British authorities expropriated vast land areas, turning much of it into tea plantations. While Kenya’s 2010 constitution established the National Land Commission (NLC) to address historical land claims, its effectiveness has been limited. Critics argue that political elites and powerful tea companies have stifled meaningful reform.

Although the NLC concluded in 2019 that the full 550 acres belonged to the Kimasas community, EPK challenged the decision in court, alleging that the cooperative's documentation was forged. Despite a court injunction ordering squatters to vacate the land, many have returned. EPK also reported attacks on its employees and property.

Legal avenues for communities remain limited due to statutes of limitations and state immunities. Attempts to negotiate land buybacks or partnerships—like a failed joint bid between a community group and private equity firm to purchase Lipton estates—have seen little success.

EPK maintains that the current dispute concerns a voluntarily gifted land portion, not colonial injustice. General Manager Peter Goin warned that giving in to demands from younger generations for more land could set a “dangerous precedent.”

The dispute highlights persistent tensions in Kenya’s land ownership legacy, as well as the increasing friction between multinational companies and local communities seeking restitution for past grievances.

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